Corbett seeks US nod for alternative Medicaid plan

Governor Tom Corbett will begin the formal process of seeking approval to bring billions of federal Medicaid expansion dollars to Pennsylvania to extend health insurance to half-a-million working poor.

The process began Friday with the online posting of Corbett's plan. His administration also will hold six hearings around Pennsylvania and take public comment on the plan through Jan. 13 before it submits it to the federal government, possibly in February.

Under President Barack Obama's signature health care law, the federal government promises to foot the lion's share of the bill for any state that expands Medicaid to cover more low-income adults.

However, Corbett is a critic of Medicaid and instead wants to use the expansion money for private insurance plans, an idea the federal government approved in Arkansas.

Copyright 2013 WFMZ. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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